got my first atv and am going out for the first time today. Just stopped in to say hi to every1 and to ask a few questions:

1: where is a good online website that is reputable and has great customer service to accesorize my raptor?

2: looking to buy a helmet and wondered what is the best for comfort/protection/cooling; also what goggles are proven winners?

3: read in dirt wheels that the pro design pro flow air filter is a must have, is it?

4: what are some other popular mods i should look at(i am a noob) and is there a site that has reviews on atv parts, helmets, etc...:

got the red/white color scheme and paid $5800 at dealership(good price)?

after i go riding for 1st time today i will report back to let you all know how much fun I had[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

thank you

 

1. there are a ton of them too many to list...
2. i cant help ya here... i just bought a helmet and put it on my head while riding.
3. from what i here... the raptor does benifit alot from a better intake.
4. get a pipe.

last but not least, i noticed you said you were going riding today... and i also notice you are looking for a helmet... i think the helmet should come before riding. **** can happen real quick.

 

Don't believe everything you read including personal opinions of myself. Your first ATV BTW is a monster in power so you should build the power mods up slow unless your just a complete power junkie like the rest of us. I made the mistake of power before suspension. If I could do it again I would have bought a slip on to give it a nice sound and a lil bump and the suspension. I like jumping more than anything. If you like jumping too you will see the Raptor is only lacking in the suspension dept. Stocks ok but aftermarket changes the ballgame. I envy the guys with extended a arms and good aftermarket shocks. Just my opinion and take it for what its worth but you can ask most people who ride Raptors that even a stock raptors got enough power to keep you entertained for a long time.

Don't worry about reviews and pricey helmets. Go to a dealer , put your melon in a helmet and if it fits and you think you look cool. Buy it. They all do the same thing basically. I have 3 different helmets and my head sweats in all of them. Go fast it will cool you off.Goggles? If your name is Scott then buy Scotts....... winners? Never knew they made that much of a difference....(tell me which ones win races and we all will buy a set)

I run a K&N filter with an EHS racing lid. I put a full pipe on and jetted my raptor right from the start. the filter/lid combo made a nice combo for me. Like I said though. Wish I would have got the shocks and a arms. I have riden and jumped another raptor with aftermarket suspension and fell in LOVE.

Have fun and be carefull.

Like hozed said. Get your melon in a helmet before your fruit becomes a vegetable....

 

My quick 2 cents:

I would spend around $250 for a helmet and get one that is lighter in weight than the under $100 helmets. It makes a big difference after a day of riding.

ProGrip goggles with the antiscratch and antifog lens is my favorite. It has thick foam too. Even better is a set of Quikstraps so you can easily attach and unattach your goggles. A tinted lens makes a big difference for day time riding. Riding gloves should have rubber tips on the fingers. It makes it a million times easier to wipe your goggles clean when they get wet or muddy. Cloth fingered gloves just smear the dirt around. A bare finger works better than a cloth glove so resist the urge to wipe them this way. It will scratch the lens too.

Not sure where you will be riding but get a 12 tooth front sprocket if you plan on riding in the woods. You lose a little top end but on a Raptor who really cares.

The other thing I hate to mention is that Yamaha isn't very good about using much grease on any of the bearings. If you are mechanically inclined, I would take the rear axle out and grease the bearings, and the swingarm, and the front wheels, and the upper steering stem bushing. At least the front a-arms have zerk fittings. I would hit those with grease too. Dealing with the rear axle nuts is a pain though without the right tools. Pro Motion makes a great set of axle wrenches for the Yamaha that will allow you to properly retorque the axle nuts.

Get ride of the stock shifter mechanism and go with a one-piece shift lever. Pro Design makes a good one. If you have a larger boot (say size 11 or up) then consider moving the shifter up one tooth. It will help you from accidently knocking the tranny into neutral while riding. Try to learn to ride from day one by not keeping your foot under the shifter. It is a good way to mess up your foot if you get it caught on a root. This usually happens when you are cresting a hill heading back down while going over a tree root that is sticking up. Basically, the dirt is missing on the back side of the root so the front end drops quickly.

Most of all, have fun with it. Just remember that the more your upgrade it the more there is from a maintenance standpoint. The torque already plays havoc on the bearings and sprockets in stock form. It only gets worse when you modify the stock engine more. I couldn't resist so I got pretty good at changing the bearings.

Search the web for the maintenance manual. It is out there in PDF format for free. Otherwise, purchase one from the dealer.

/Jon

 

#1 I buy everything from www.rockymountainatv.com

# 2 I bought the Oneal venom I like the looks it's light and it vents great also fox forma-pro boots save your legs!

# 3 Yes buy a pro-flow intake . If you ride very dusty areas go for the faom filter if you are in damp or sandy areas go for the K&N

# 4 add a pipe if you dont mind the noise . You could read on and on for days on pipe shoot out in here . I have a CT full system it's not bad . I hear Sparks is good and I think Yoshi makes a very nice system fit to finsh .

# 5 Get a new front sprocket a 12 tooth makes the machine a lot easier to ride

#6 get some nerf bars save your legs your gonna need them later

you will need to rejet your carbs when you do the intake and exhaust mods I would recomend you do them at the same time if possible .
I run the Ct exhaust and proflow and at 2500 feet above sea level went to a mikuni 170 left carb and 175 right carb and set the air screw at 2 1/2 turns you will just have to try differnt setting depending on where ou live . Watch your plug color when you do the jet change .
Put a new plug in and keep your original for reference on color

Good luck and have a blast
Congrats on the new machine

 

1. There are a ton of them.
2. I think that the Shoei helemts are really good
3. I have one in my air box ( when i decide to use it that is..)
4. After you get use to the bike, i would go Intake, Pipe, and re-jet. If thats not enough then look for a mild cam.
5. Mine is Red/White and thats what i paid for it so yeah i would think so.
You should have gotton a helment before you went riding more so this time then if any other because it is your first time out on that bike and yournot used to it.

 

wow...i cant believe i have spent 30 years of my life without one. This sport rocks. I had so much fun, went thru sand dunes and then hit some swamps and tried going thru some woods. I live at Ft Polk, LA and went out into some of our training areas on base and had a blast. Never got it to 5th gear but I really didnt see the need for it yet cause I was flying....spent most of my riding in 1-3 and only hit 4th once on a dirt straightaway, hit a little ripple in road, had some bump steer and said wow....that is fast....hehehehehe. was thinking of getting an Arai helmut, nerf bars, front bumper (to protect a-arms a little), some booties for my shocks, and some goggles. havent found a place yet to have everything i want in stock on the web. Boy am I going to be sore tomorrow[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

ps...I borrowed a friends helmet after bout 30 minutes of riding...definately the smartest thing i did[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]